Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Waipahu, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,234 in Waipahu, HI, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. The total is higher in Waipahu, HI despite lower rent and utilities.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
155

Cost of Living Index in Waipahu, HI
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Waipahu, HI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Waipahu, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,234

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Waipahu, HI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Waipahu, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,234 in Waipahu, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Waipahu, HI $3,234

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,991 in Waipahu, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Waipahu, HI $4,991

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,748 in Waipahu, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Waipahu, HI $6,748

Chicago, IL is about 6% cheaper than Waipahu, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Waipahu, HI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Waipahu, HI by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$27.50 $27.50

-24.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$141 $141

-36.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.92 $14.92

-11.60%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$10.38 $10.38

-45.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$4.95 $4.95

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.49 $3.49

-34.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$10.59 $10.59

-35.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$11.61 $11.61

-23.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.02 $1.02

22.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.59 $3.59

3.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$9.96 $9.96

-45.88%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$7.47 $7.47

-36.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.40 $12.40

11.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$20.02 $20.02

-28.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$21.86 $21.86

-15.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$8.11 $8.11

-35.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$7.12 $7.12

-42.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$9.73 $9.73

-48.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.86 $4.86

-45.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.87 $4.87

-45.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$5.26 $5.26

-57.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.16 $3.16

-0.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.18 $10.18

35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.20 $18.20

-18.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.68 $2.68

-5.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.61 $5.61

-37.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$60.5 $60.5

21.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.44 $3.44

-7.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.68 $2.68

-48.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$44.50 $44.50

-43.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.43 $1.43

-16.08%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.6K $35.6K

-1.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.18%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$194 $194

$257 $257

-24.22%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$67.1 $67.1

3.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$65.6 $65.6

-6.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$43.68 $43.68

9.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$19.66 $19.66

-9.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,794 $1,794

$2,167 $2,167

-17.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

19.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$44.60 $44.60

50.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.71 $40.71

28.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.5 $86.5

17.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$131 $131

9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,614 $1,614

56.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,451 $1,451

8.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,815 $2,815

68.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,590 $2,590

3.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,199 $3,199

30.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,502 $2,502

10.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.7

1.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Waipahu, HI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Waipahu, HI

$1.5K 44.9% 8.1% $127

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Waipahu, HI

$590 18.3% 31.9% $143

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Waipahu, HI

$499 15.4% 44.8% $154

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Waipahu, HI

$389 12% 19.6% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Waipahu, HI

$136 4.2% 17% $28

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Waipahu, HI

$86 2.6% 8.4% $7.9

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Waipahu, HI

$83 2.6% 0.6% $0.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,614 in Waipahu, HI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $141 in Waipahu, HI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $590 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waipahu, HI

🕒 Local time

20:51 8:51 PM

16:51 4:51 PM

4 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

71,894

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Waipahu, HI 6,850 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Waipahu, HI

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Waipahu, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,234 in Waipahu, HI – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,852 in Waipahu, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waipahu, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,614 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Waipahu, HI, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $141 in Waipahu, HI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,234 in Waipahu, HI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,234 in Waipahu, HI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.